Ordering Perfume from the US or UK: Tax and Duty
Published on 04.10.2026
A Tempting Price From Abroad
You are comparing prices and a seller in the US or the UK lists the exact same fragrance for noticeably less than any shop within the EU. Before you place that order, it is worth looking at what gets added on top of the listed price once the package actually arrives. Anyone dealing with perfume import tax and duty for the first time can be caught off guard by extra charges added at delivery.
That lower sticker price is only part of the calculation. Orders from countries outside the EU generally come with additional costs that can eat into, or completely erase, the apparent savings.
Below, we look at what charges typically apply to orders from the US or the UK, why the UK is treated differently since Brexit, and what else to keep in mind when perfume is being shipped internationally.
EU Import VAT Since July 2021
If you are ordering from within the EU, note that since July 2021, EU import VAT generally applies to goods shipped from outside the EU starting from the very first euro of value. The previous exemption threshold of 22 euros, under which smaller shipments were tax free, no longer exists. In practice, that means even a modest 30 euro bottle from the US is subject to this tax, not only large or expensive orders.
The rate applied is the standard VAT rate of the destination country the goods are being brought into. In Austria, for example, that standard rate is 20 percent, while in Germany it is 19 percent. Those are only two examples, other EU countries set their own rates, which are not listed here in full since they can vary and change over time.
Customs Duty May Also Apply
On top of import VAT, customs duty can also apply. Since July 1, 2026, the earlier exemption for shipments up to 150 euros in value has ended. Orders up to that value are no longer duty free, a flat customs duty of 3 euros per item now applies to them instead. For orders above 150 euros, the duty rate still depends on the value of the goods and the country they are shipped from, and it would not be reliable to state a specific rate here, since it depends on several factors and can change.
For you as a buyer, the practical takeaway is to treat import VAT as a near-certain cost on any non-EU order, add the flat 3 euro customs duty for orders up to 150 euros, and keep in mind that a higher, variable customs duty is possible above that threshold even if you cannot always know the exact figure in advance.
A Worked Example
Say a bottle of perfume from the US costs the equivalent of 60 euros, plus 15 euros in shipping. The value used for import VAT usually combines the item price and shipping, so 75 euros here. At an assumed rate of 19 percent, the standard rate used in Germany as an example, that comes to roughly 14.25 euros in import VAT. That puts the total at around 89 euros. Since this order stays under 150 euros, the flat 3 euro customs duty in place since July 1, 2026 would also apply, bringing the total to roughly 92 euros. These numbers are only a worked example with assumed figures, not a prediction for any actual order.
The UK Since Brexit: No Longer Treated Like an EU Country
The UK has not been part of the EU or the EU single market since Brexit took effect in 2021. For buyers ordering from within the EU, that means orders from the UK are generally subject to the same import rules as orders from any other country outside the EU, including import VAT from the first euro of value and possible customs duty.
Many buyers underestimate this because the UK feels geographically and culturally close to the EU, and older habits from before Brexit still linger. Since Brexit, though, ordering from London is, in terms of tax and duty, comparable to ordering from New York.
Perfume Is Often Treated as Hazardous Goods in Shipping
Perfume contains alcohol and is therefore frequently classified as hazardous cargo for shipping purposes, specifically as a flammable liquid. That has practical consequences: certain shipping methods are not permitted for such items, including some forms of standard air freight, and some sellers choose not to ship perfume to certain countries at all, or only offer special, often more expensive shipping options.
This is also why some international sellers simply do not ship perfume to your country, even when the listed price looks attractive. It is rarely a matter of interest, it comes down to the rules that apply to shipping flammable liquids.
What This Means for Your Price Comparison
When comparing listings from the US or UK against listings from within the EU, looking only at the item price is not enough. It makes more sense to add up the full landed price: item price plus shipping plus estimated import VAT, and where possible a buffer for a potential customs charge. Only that combined total gives you a fair comparison against a listing from an EU country, where these extra charges generally do not apply if you are ordering from within the EU.
- Item price converted to euros
- Shipping costs
- Estimated import VAT at the standard rate of your destination country
- A possible customs charge that is not always known exactly in advance
Only once all of these are added together can you tell whether a US or UK listing is genuinely cheaper than a comparable EU offer, or whether tax, possible duty, and shipping quietly cancel out the apparent saving.
Returns on Orders From Outside the EU
If you are ordering from within the EU, online purchases generally come with a 14-day right of withdrawal. Order from a seller outside the EU, such as in the US or the UK, and the return conditions depend entirely on that shop, with a cross-border return often meaning extra effort and its own shipping cost. Read the return policy of a non-EU seller before buying, rather than assuming familiar EU rules automatically apply.
